The First Schedule and Hidden Truths
"Hello, Manager Seo Do-yoon! This is Kim Yu-na. I couldn't greet you yesterday because of my schedule, but I'm glad I can do so now, even if it's late. I look forward to working with you from now on, Manager."
It was the first day of work as ASTRA's manager.
As I drove the large van carrying the members to the music program recording that was scheduled for today, Yu-na, whom I hadn't seen yesterday, approached me first with a bright smile and greeted me.
Her face, smiling as she spoke in an ingratiating tone, showed no trace of pretense.
Even when I heard about her through Soo-yeon, her impression hadn't been any different from what I saw now.
She was someone who always smiled brightly and treated people with a positive attitude, and I couldn't detect any other side to her.
Her current demeanor alone made that clear.
I was a new manager who had joined the company only yesterday, and she was the most popular idol in the country right now.
Although we were together for work, the invisible gap in status was enormous. Even considering image management, she had no need to act this way.
'Beautiful appearance and an excellent personality. Flawless.'
[Giggle, prettier than me?]
Guide asked mischievously after I inwardly evaluated Yu-na.
Pretending not to hear the question, I also smiled and greeted Yu-na in return.
"Likewise, I look forward to working with you."
"You two look good together~ With the new manager joining us, the atmosphere feels even more lively. Don't you think so, Yu-na?"
Rina, who had been listening to our conversation, linked arms with Yu-na in a friendly manner and asked.
Her attitude was completely different from how she had openly looked down on me yesterday, which left me dumbfounded, but I didn't show it.
The other members seemed accustomed to her pretense, but Yu-na simply smiled and accepted it at face value.
"Yeah, you're right. The previous manager was also a good person, but the new manager who's going to take care of us seems like a good person too."
Rina held the hand of the arm-linked Rina and smiled at me again.
If I hadn't been aware that what I was doing was work, I might have fallen for that unreserved smile in an instant.
"Haha, thank you. I'll have to work hard to live up to your good opinion."
"By the way, Manager, how old are you?"
When I responded with an awkward smile, Nara, who was sitting in her seat, asked with a laugh.
Knowing the intent behind the question, I let out a hollow laugh inwardly, but outwardly I maintained the attitude of a diligent new manager.
"I'm thirty-two."
I gave an age much older than my actual one.
No matter what, if a mid-twenties rookie was leading them, they might look down on me without realizing it.
"Oh my, really? You look so young that I thought you were almost the same age as Yu-na."
"Right, unnie. I also thought you were around our age. You have such a youthful face."
When Nara expressed her surprise, Yu-na honestly agreed.
"It feels good to hear pretty ladies speak so highly of me. I should brag about this to my friends later, shouldn't I?"
While making small talk, I glanced at the remaining members, Arin and Sena, who hadn't said a word, through the rearview mirror.
The two seemed uninterested in our conversation, or perhaps uninterested in me, as they each spent time in their own way.
The taciturn Arin was silently looking out the window, just as her image from yesterday suggested, while Sena wore headphones and smiled happily while watching a video on her phone.
"Not only do you look young, but you're also handsome. More so than most male idols."
"Haha, at this rate my mouth will tear from smiling so much."
"Since you're this handsome, you must have a girlfriend, right?"
Nara complimented my appearance while subtly probing into my personal life.
"Sadly, I don't have one yet. I'd appreciate it if you could introduce me to someone nice later."
"Huh? Really? But you're so handsome…."
"Haha…."
I knew that her excessive praise wasn't due to Nara's kind personality.
If you understood the underlying intent, you could tell how creepy the string of questions really was.
"Kyahaha!!"
"Hehe, the manager is so funny."
"Haha, really?"
"I told you so."
After that, cheerful conversations continued, and pleasant laughter echoed inside the van.
'One fake laugh. One calculating laugh. One honest laugh. This is driving me crazy.'
Amidst the laughter, I, who was acting, let out a hollow laugh inwardly.
"We've arrived."
Just as the atmosphere was ripening nicely, we arrived at the broadcasting station, our destination.
ASTRA's first schedule of the day had begun.
* *
"Manager~ Can't you ask the PD to start the recording as soon as possible?"
"Rina!"
"Aww~ It was just a joke. Why are you getting so serious, unnie~."
Inside the waiting room for the music program before recording.
Because the recording order was delayed, the waiting time had grown long, so Rina spoke to me, and Nara scolded her for it.
For reference, the only members currently in the waiting room with ASTRA were Nara, Rina, and Arin.
Sena had said she was going to the bathroom and hadn't returned for a long time, while Yu-na was going around the broadcasting station greeting people everywhere.
"Don't mind her, Manager. You must be tired from driving all the way here, so you don't have to worry about things like that."
Nara smiled kindly and casually placed her hand over the back of mine as I sat beside her.
While inwardly noting the subtle skinship, I smiled and replied.
"I think Rina has a point. The waiting time does seem too long. Considering the next schedule as well, I think it would be fine to mention it."
"But…."
"The PD of this program is extremely stubborn. He won't change it no matter what."
A voice devoid of emotion.
When I turned my gaze toward the frail, girlish voice, I saw Arin leaning against the sofa, looking at me with a languid gaze.
After meeting my eyes once, she turned her gaze back toward the empty air.
Since there was no trace of emotion on her face, it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
I even thought that once I brainwashed her, I would definitely have to ask what thoughts lay behind that expressionless face.
"Well, there's nothing to lose by trying. Since Sena doesn't seem to be coming back, I'll go look for her while I'm at it and step out for a moment."
I gave a silent smile to Nara, who spoke to me in a worried voice, and left the waiting room.
"Why didn't you answer the phone, oppa? Huh!? Why didn't you answer!? Is it another girl… Did you get another girl? That's why you didn't answer, right!?"
As I was about to step out to contact Sena using the number I had received in advance, I heard a low voice coming from inside a slightly open emergency exit door.
Following the familiar voice naturally, I saw a man and a woman talking on the emergency exit stairs.
One of them was Sena, and the other was a man I didn't know. Judging by his clothes and handsome appearance, he seemed to be one of the male idols.
The two were facing each other, revealing hostility as if they were lovers in the middle of a fight.
"Hey, lower your voice…! This is a broadcasting station…!"
"Whatever, just say it quickly! Why didn't you answer the phone!? You got another girl, didn't you? That's it, right!?"
"What other girl! We're not even dating, so why should I tell you about that? That day was just a mistake. And you were the one who seduced me first. So just let it go. We're both idols. If this gets out, it'll be a huge problem! I won't be able to set foot in this industry again! You know that, right?"
"I don't care! Just tell me why you didn't answer the phone— Ah…."
Seeming to notice my presence, Sena's gaze turned toward me as I watched them, and our eyes met.
The man also followed her gaze with a puzzled expression, spotted me, and froze.
After a few seconds of deathly silence, Sena suddenly changed her expression into a bright smile as if it were a lie and quickly approached me with hurried steps.
"Were you looking for me, Manager?"
"Yes."
Sena spoke to me casually, her face as calm as if she had put on an iron mask.
Suppressing the incredulous laugh that threatened to escape at her shameless acting, I answered while hiding my expression as much as possible.
"Hehe! I was just chatting with a colleague for a moment! I'll head back to the waiting room right away!"
Sena brushed past me in a rush and fled the scene.
And in that moment, I saw it.
Her eyes, glancing back as she turned, glaring at me with a cold gaze.
"Wait, could I talk to you for a moment?"
Feeling that meaningful gaze fade away, I approached the flustered male idol with a smile.
"What— I have nothing to say."
"Even if you don't want to, you will."
"…Yes?"
I fiddled with the Brainwashing Stamp I had kept in my pocket in front of him.
It was a space with no one else around.
I had no particular taste for brainwashing men, but since it was work, I felt no resistance.
After all, there was only one thing I needed to do to him.
"Would you tell me everything you were talking about with her just now?"
My hand began to reach out toward his face, where a look of confusion was rising.
* *
"Ah, so this is where you were, Manager."
After getting information from the man on the stairs and taking care of one more matter, I was on my way back to the waiting room when Nara blocked my path.
She acted as if she had coincidentally discovered me, but to my eyes, it looked as though she had been waiting, anticipating that I would pass through this corridor.
"Sena just returned to the waiting room. The PD also suddenly came to the waiting room and said he would change the recording order. It seems like you did everything… How did you manage that?"
Nara seemed to have her doubts after hearing that the notoriously strict PD had suddenly agreed to change the order.
"Haha, it seems the new manager's luck was on my side."
"Is that so?"
At my evasive words, Nara tilted her head slightly, but she didn't ask any further.
After all, that wasn't the reason she had come to see me.
"Um, Manager…."
Nara carefully broached the subject.
She slightly turned her body as if embarrassed and began to say something that could be misunderstood.
"There's something I want to talk about before the recording… Do you have some time?"
"What is it about?"
Although I knew her intention, I asked back while pretending to be puzzled.
"There's something… I'd like to consult with you about. And also…."
Swish—.
"Just the two of us."
She slowly raised her lowered gaze and, as expected, began to seduce me.